I give my maid and gardener 3 weeks pay. I give the trash guys $200 pesos. I give my pool guy $200 pesos. I don't give the propane guys or water guys anything as I tip them with each delivery throughout the year.

Looking through rollybrook's webpage it looks like, in addition to the Christmas bonus, there is at least 6 days vacation pay at 25% above the regular hourly rate (if no vacation has been taken during the year).

For the maid, CanuckBob's 3 weeks pay is just about the exact amount I was going to give her after spending ages going through the formulas...!!!

If one reads Rolly's explanation and the applicable legal requirements you will arrive at a figure of 2.14 x the weekly wage. That is a figure I have used for the past 8 years and employees always seem satisfied with this amount.Thus: 2 days per week at 200 pesos = 400 x 2.14 = 856 pesos. Round it to 860 pesos or even 900 pesos and they will be really happy. Round that to 3x their weekly wage (1200 pesos) and that just tells all of them that gringos and canucks have money to throw away.That is the thinking that has increased restaurant prices out of proportion to costs in the last year. Prices have increased based on ability to pay not cost of supplies.

This is really easy to do since it is based on a daily wage. And that "daily" wage is based on a seven day week. It doesn't matter if your help comes once a week or six days a week... simply take whatever they earn per week and divide by 7 to get the daily wage.Aguinaldo is 15 x the daily wage. Period.Vacation pay varies by the length of time that they have worked for you... but again what is due is X number of days vacation x the daily wage. If vacation was not taken through the year then it is paid at the same time as the Aguinaldo but with a 25% increase. These two things are SEPARATE and should be paid for SEPARATELY and signed and dated to show which is being paid and the amount.You can give anything you want to your help to show your appreciation but please do these "legal obligations" separately. This paperwork becomes important when and/or if a Finiquito is required.I also hope that you are having your help sign for their weekly pay... which should also show the date and amount.Feliz Navidad.

DaveP wrote:That is the thinking that has increased restaurant prices out of proportion to costs in the last year. Prices have increased based on ability to pay not cost of supplies.

Have you priced food at a grocery store lately? Obviously not. The decrease in the value of the peso is really hurting Mexico and inflation is over 6% as calculated last week. And because one can't trust the govt. figures, I would guess inflation is even higher. Since NAFTA, Mexico has to import much of it's corn and other commodities that drive up costs. Perhaps you need to rethink your position.

Aguinaldo doesn't change year to year unless their base salary changes. Vacation pay changes every year until about 5 years when it stays the same for a few years then changes again. So I'm confused what your comment means.